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Updated: June 20, 2025
Pierre had leaned over, and Marie-Anne was with him on the raft. For a space everything else in the world was obliterated for David. He saw St. Pierre's arms gather the slim form into their embrace. He saw Marie-Anne's hands go up fondly to the bearded face. And then Carrigan cut the picture there. He turned his shoulder to the raft and snapped the binoculars in the case at his belt.
"I am sure you will agree, Madeleine," he said stiffly he was not sorry to gain a little time "that it would not be wise for Claire to accompany you to Italy. After all, she is still quite a young woman, and poor Marie-Anne's disease is most infectious. I have ascertained, too, that there is a regular epidemic raging in Mantua." Madeleine nodded.
This was a crime which Mlle. de Courtornieu could never forget. She also knew that she owed it to Marie-Anne's intercession that she had not been held prisoner. This she could never forgive.
Yesterday Martial and Marie-Anne spent a quarter of an hour together at the Croix d'Arcy." The old physician at Vigano, who had come to Marie-Anne's aid, was an honorable man. His intellect was of a superior order, and his heart was equal to his intelligence. He knew life; he had loved and suffered, and he possessed two sublime virtues forbearance and charity.
The abbe knelt at the head of the bed and began the recital of the prayers for the dead, entreating God to grant peace and happiness in heaven to her who had suffered so much upon earth. But he prayed only with his lips. In spite of his efforts, his mind would persist in wandering. He was striving to solve the mystery that enshrouded Marie-Anne's death. Had she been murdered?
Intense as was his surprise, the abbe succeeded in hiding it. He set the old gossip to talking, and after a two hours' conversation, he arrived at the conclusion that two persons besides Maurice were searching for Marie-Anne's child. Why, with what aim, and who these persons could be the abbe was unable to ascertain. "Ah! rascals have their uses after all," he thought.
Perhaps there had been a quarrel at least ironical implications on St. Pierre's part. And his sympathy was with St. Pierre. He caught suddenly a little tremble at the corner of Marie-Anne's mouth as her face was turned partly from him, and he stepped to the opposite side of the table so he could look at her fairly. If there had been unpleasantness in the cabin on the raft, St.
Ah! had she heard Monsieur d'Escorval's or the abbe's name mentioned, she might have felt some doubt of Marie-Anne's guilt; her resolution might have wavered, and who knows? But no. Young Poignot, in referring to the baron had said: "our gentleman," Marie-Anne said: "he." Is not "he" always the person who is uppermost in our minds, the husband whom one hates or the lover whom one adores?
He sprang to Maurice, and shaking him violently, he cried: "Up! here is Martial, Marie-Anne's murderer! Up! he is coming! he is at our mercy!" Maurice sprang up in a fury of passion, but the abbe darted to the door and intercepted the infuriated men as they were about to leave the room. "Not a word, young men, not a threat!" he said, imperiously. "I forbid it.
Marie-Anne's nature was so royal, that she did not wish an unjust accusation to rest even upon the man who had treated her father so cruelly. "The duke is not to blame," she replied, gently; "he offered us a very considerable sum, this morning, through his son." Mlle. Blanche started as if a viper had stung her. "So you have seen the marquis, Marie-Anne?" "Yes." "Has he been to your house?"
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